Bell Media spoiled the Grand Prix for several customers of its Shopico site. The discount purchase platform sold them invalid tickets for the Formula 1 race. Refused at the entrance to the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit, they had to wait almost three weeks before obtaining a promise of reimbursement… and they are still waiting for explanations.
Posted at 6:00 a.m.
In February, Christian Lacroix paid $400 plus tax for two tickets on Shopico.ca. The site is owned by Bell Media, as is the Octane Racing Group, promoter of the Canadian Grand Prix, which took place on June 17, 18 and 19.
Received by e-mail, the “gift certificates” curiously did not indicate any seat for him and his partner, who was to accompany him.
“The first day in the morning, we saw that our tickets were refused. After insisting, the person let us pass, he says. But when we got to the bleachers, the officials checking the tickets didn’t recognize them. They said, “Look, you don’t have room. I don’t understand why you were let through. »
Christian Lacroix then meets other people with the same titles purchased on Shopico. Like him, they cannot access the bleachers. “The officials told us: ‘We don’t recognize these tickets. It’s not us, the sellers.” »
PHOTO FROM LINKEDIN
Christian Lacroix
He then contacts Shopico to expose the glitch, but gets no response. “We raised the issue by email, phone, voicemail…there was no response. »
In the afternoon, Christian Lacroix receives an email from Florence Lamothe, “sales coordinator” at Bell Media.
“The Formula 1 Grand Prix starts today! she writes. We have learned from the gang of many customers that Shopico gift certificate QR codes do not work. »
She says that those responsible for the Grand Prix — employees of another Bell Media subsidiary — “are aware of the situation”.
“For those who have purchased gift certificates on Shopico and [qui] would not have received their ticket by email; please note that your request has already been transferred[e] to the staff of this event. We will get back to you promptly on your uncollected tickets as soon as we have a detailed response from Formula 1.”
Radio silence
Nearly three weeks later, however, Christian Lacroix still had no news from the two Bell Media subsidiaries…until The Press asks the company questions on Thursday.
Head of public relations Patrick Tremblay agrees that the company’s response has not been adequate. He assures that management intends to refund the tickets.
“The fact that we spoke to each other this morning means that as soon as we hang up, I call everyone back,” he said. I will ask them if there is a way to follow up with the gentleman. We’ll take care of that quickly. »
According to his information, at least four other people had the same problem as Christian Lacroix and his partner.
Patrick Tremblay, however, is unable to explain why a subsidiary of Bell Media did not recognize tickets issued by another of its divisions. Nor the reason why nothing has been done to allow customers to access the Grand Prix site.
“There’s a key person in there who’s on vacation and is coming back on Monday,” he said. It will be settled next week, this confusion. »
“Too little, too late,” says Christian Lacroix, who plans to complain to the Consumer Protection Office. “They contacted me,” he confirms. I am detailing the nature of the weekend costs. »
Between the cost of tickets, travel, restaurants, Friday work lost in vain and all the wasted time, he estimates the damage he and his associate suffered at more than $2,000.